The present disclosure relates to a developing device and an image forming apparatus including the same.
A typical electrophotographic image forming apparatus includes a developing device and a developer replenishing unit. The developing device develops, by powdery developer, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrying member. The developer replenishing unit stores unused developer to be supplied to the developing device.
Furthermore, the image forming apparatus may include a developer collecting unit that stores used developer discharged from the developing device. The developer replenishing unit and the developer collecting unit are attached to an apparatus main body in a detachable manner.
It is noted that the developer replenishing unit may be referred to as a toner cartridge or a toner container. In addition, the developer collecting unit may be referred to as a waste toner box or a waste toner bottle.
The developing device includes rotators such as a developer carrying member and a stirring member that are driven by a motor provided in the apparatus main body. In addition, the motor and a drive input portion of the developing device are provided on a rear side (innermost side) in the main body portion so as to suppress transmission of machinery sounds to a user side, namely a front side of the main body portion. The drive input portion is a mechanism that receives a rotational force from the motor and transmits the received rotational force to rotation shafts of the rotators.
There is known a developing device in which a developer receiving port and a developer discharge port are provided in a front end portion of the device main body.